Crazy day yesterday, ended with a 111 on my wrist.

[karmatp]

Let me start by saying that I have been on the hunt for a 112. I have been calling AD's lately, hanging around my local AD and all around bugging everyone in my house because I was on the HUNT. You know how it goes, you want a watch, then all of a sudden they disappear from sales corners, and the AD's don't have any, it will drive a man mad.

So I started thinking about a 111. I sold my 005 when I purchased the Sub C so it was thinking about getting a 9 this time, and I wanted a sandwich dial. I have owned a 176 and a 183 and the sandwich dial was something a truly enjoyed. I have owned both logo dials and I liked them, but the sandwich is my favorite.

Now to yesterday.......long intro I know. I get home from work and get back on the phone to a couple of out of state AD's, after finishing my honey doo's of course. After I get off the phone I get a call from a local risti who is pretty well known in the Panerai world. He tells me that he just took in a watch as a partial trade that I need to come see. I told him, sure, I'll be over in a hour or so.

Now all this time, I am so close to calling back this AD I talked to a couple of hours ago and giving him the CC # for a new 112, but I figured I would wait a bit and see what my friend has. I get to his house and he has a box sitting on the table, I find myself excited.

Turns out he took in a seriously like new 111, what am I to do???????

It was perfect in every way. The guy who traded it to him had it in a safe for years, apparently this guy is some CEO with way to many watches. It is a H serial, so it's like 5 years old but looks just as good as the ones I was looking at in my local AD this past week, it's amazing.

What else could I do than buy it from him. I saved over a grand buying the 111 than I would have on a 112. I did have some reservations about it being a 5 year old watch, but it keeps perfect time, the power reserve is perfect, it's like a new watch, not a single mark on it. The guy told my friend that he wore it a few times when he first purchased it and took it to his AD for them to change the straps, seriously, is that crazy or what. The guy would not so a simple strap change, that explains why there is not a mark around the screws.

I already did my own pressure test in the deep end of the pool, it passed! I will probably take it in and have my AD check the seals and give it a true pressure test though.


Overall, I am pretty happy. I had my heart set on a 112 but the 111 was my second option. I just knew that I wanted a Luminor with the sandwich dial this time. With the 111, I have now owned a 000, 005, 176, and a 111. I am starting to see a pattern, maybe the 112 is in my future.

I have never worn the OEM rubber but I like it a lot, I think it just might be my summer strap. I am going to buy another Ted Su diver strap though, I just love that strap.